138 SOLDIER AND SPORTSMAN 



" Fishing on the Derwent, I had taken a scat 

 on the bank to dispose of my midday sandwich. 

 Opposite me, about ten yards off in mid-stream, 

 was a small island. Presently a brown rat appeared 

 at my feet running along the strand ; under- 

 neath its chin and clins^inor to its mother was 

 a young one about ten days old. The mother 

 apparently had hold of it by the breast with her 

 teeth, while the little one clung round her neck and 

 head. On reaching a spot exactly opposite the 

 island, she slipped into the water, swimming across 

 submerged, evidently to avoid being seen. Hav- 

 ing gained the island, she disappeared for a few 

 minutes among the grass and scrub ; then she 

 appeared again without her burden, and swam 

 across, this time on the surface, to the spot where 

 she had entered the water and went off in the 

 direction whence she had come. When she re- 

 appeared, she had another young one. She repeated 

 the performance three times. Some minutes after 

 the third young one was safely across a full-sized 

 stoat came loping along hot-foot on the tracks of 

 the rat. He halted just where the rat had entered 

 the water, sniffed about, and apparently satisfied 

 that he had lost the scent of his intended meal, 

 turned about and went back." 



Until this incident was related to me I had no 

 idea that the brown rat would remove its young 



